Over the last seven months, Yohan Lainesse has been steadily building his reputation within the CFFC, and Friday night presents another opportunity to keep that momentum rolling forward.
Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC's Lainesse (5-0) is set to take on fellow unbeaten welterweight Troy Green (4-0), who fights out of New York, at CFFC 93 in Philadelphia, Pa.
The 28-year-old Lainesse stepped into the CFFC in August and has stopped both of his appearances inside the opening round. Should he pull off another first-round finish against Green, he says he's eager to get a shot at CFFC welterweight champion Bassil Hafez.
"I was prepared to fight him (Hafez), but I think he declined the matchup," Lainesse told MMA Empire during an interview. "I let my coach and management know I'm ready to step up for the title."
"I'm coming in at 5-0 with four first-round knockouts, so I feel completely prepared. Once I put Troy Green away, I'll be making sure Bassil Hafez understands I want that title."
A victory over Green on Friday would push Lainesse's record to 6-0 and land him squarely in the conversation for Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS).
While Lainesse insisted he'd never say no to a DWCS invitation, capturing the CFFC championship remains his primary goal right now.
"Sure, the Contender Series sounds exciting, but my focus is on being CFFC champion. I really like the idea of wearing a belt, being recognized as the champ, and having to defend it," Lainesse explained.
"My original plan was to get to 7-0 and then capture the title. But if the Contender Series calls, I'm definitely open to that opportunity too."
Lainesse burst onto the CFFC scene with a dominant first-round knockout of Connor Dixon in his debut. He followed that performance with a spectacular flying knee finish against Lirim Rufati, catching attention across the MMA community.
We have a KO of the year candidate!!! #CFFC86 pic.twitter.com/T57Urr3oFP
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) October 30, 2020
Despite the bout ending in just 14 seconds, Lainesse explained that having that kind of explosive power at his disposal has massively boosted his self-belief as he looks ahead.
"That contest gave me a whole new level of belief," Lainesse shared.
"The fight itself didn't last very long, but it absolutely fired me up. I truly believe I can accomplish anything inside the octagon. Once my head is locked in on a goal, I know I can reach it."
Before he can chase the CFFC welterweight championship, however, Lainesse faces a serious hurdle against Green, who remains undefeated across both his pro and amateur campaigns.
Lainesse recognized that Green tends to pace himself and dictate the tempo of his bouts, which could give him the perfect opportunity to showcase his technical arsenal beyond his already proven knockout power.
"I'd be thrilled to stand and trade with this opponent. I want to keep things standing and put on an exciting performance," Lainesse noted.
"Hopefully he's interested in a stand-up battle, but I think he's aware I'm lethal on my feet and how much force behind my strikes. He'll probably look to get inside, but if he does, I'll look to take him down and finish it."
Lainesse's shoutouts
"I want to acknowledge ESS Fight and my manager Jeremy Rubin." Connect with Lainesse online: TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
